The present invention relates generally to bicycle shifters and brake levers, and more particularly, is directed to a combination shift and brake lever arrangement for a bicycle using a single lever movable along two axes for braking and shifting.
Conventionally, shifters for bicycles have been mounted on the handlebar, separate and apart from the brake levers.
For example, Campagnolo S.r.l of Vicenza, Italy manufactures and sells a bicycle brake mechanism and a bicycle shift mechanism in which there are three levers, a brake lever, a separate shift lever that shifts sideways for changing gears in a first direction, and a third thumb lever for changing gears in a second opposite direction. This, however, in manufacture and use, becomes complicated and burdensome to use.
Serenissima World Cycle Diffusion srl of San Vendemiano, Italy manufactures and sells a bicycle brake mechanism and a bicycle shift mechanism under the trademark “MODOLO” in which there is a brake lever and two separate thumb levers for performing a shifting operation in opposite directions. This, again, in manufacture and use, becomes complicated and burdensome to use.
SRAM Corporation of Chicago, Ill. manufactures and sells a bicycle brake mechanism and a bicycle shift mechanism in which there is a first lever for braking and a second shift lever. Depending upon how far the lever is pushed will depend on the direction of shifting.
However, recently, shift levers have been combined with brake levers. For example, Shimano Inc. of Osaka, Japan manufactures and sells a bicycle brake mechanism and a bicycle shift mechanism in which a common lever is used for both braking and shifting gears in a first direction. However, there is a second lever for shifting gears in the second opposite direction. This, again, in manufacture and use, becomes complicated and burdensome to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,647,823 to Tsumiyama et al and owned by Shimano Inc. discloses a single lever used for braking and for shifting and both directions. The brake lever is pivoted in a first forward to back direction for braking, a second clockwise side to side movement for shifting in a first direction and a third counterclockwise side to side movement for shifting in a second opposite direction. However, the rider must remember which direction to pivot the lever in the side to side direction for shifting.